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Marketed as a commercial hunting rifle in Germany,
the Morgenroth rifle did not see success, likely due to the
general unfamiliarity with lever actions in Germany at the time.
It loads from the top using Gew 88 type five-round en bloc clips, which
eject out the bottom when empty, and are able to be removed from the
top while still loaded by depressing a small clip release button located on the
right side of the action. The simplified bolt has side mounted rails and slots at the rear for locking
via the crossbolt. A safety switch is located on top of the receiver tang, which requires manual assistance to
further pull the hammer downwards in order to allow the safety to engage. “*MORGENROTH’S GEWEHRFABRIK*/
GERNRODE, I./A.” inscribed on the right side of the receiver surrounding a finely engraved scroll pattern motif, with
patent markings on the left around a similar engraved motif. German commercial crown proofs located on the right of
bolt, receiver, and underside of the barrel. The octagon barrel has a ramped dovetailed beaded blade front sight and dovetailed
flip-up notch rear sight. Fitted with a walnut forearm with carved and checkered tip, and walnut buttstock with checkered wrist and horn buttplate.
Includes four German Gew 88 type en bloc clips.
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine, retains 90% original blue finish with a plum hue on the barrel and lever, and 85% plus vivid original case colors on the frame with
scattered surface freckling and sharp markings and edges in the metal. Wood is very fine with a few light handling marks, a reglued crack visible on the left of the forearm, a
wear spot on the right of the otherwise defined wrist checkering, and defined edges. Mechanically excellent. This German Morgenroth lever action rifle serves as an important
historical piece in the evolution of firearms!
Estimate: 7,500 - 12,000
LOT 1470
Extremely Rare German Morgenroth
Lever Action Rifle - NSN, 7.92 mm Mauser
cal., 24 1/2 inch octagon bbl., blue/casehardened finish,
deluxe checkered walnut stock. This extremely rare Morgenroth
lever action rifle is the only example of its kind known to have been offered
through Rock Island Auction Company. It was patented and manufactured c.
1900 by Adolf and George Morgenroth of Gernrode in what is now Saxony-
Anhalt, Germany, with the well-known Morgenroth gunmaking family
having roots back to as early as the late 1700s. The rifle is very well made and
shares strong resemblance with the Winchester Model 1895 lever action rifles, and claims to have
improvements over the “American repeating rifle M. 1895” according to the related 1899 and 1900 dated
German patents, DRP Nr. 113379 and DRP Nr. 123903, in which it mentions the simplified bolt secured by
means of a crossbar and the ability to load five rounds at once utilizing the same clips as the “German Army
rifle” of the time, in reference to the Gew 88 commission rifle.
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